District Judge Peter King was told by a defence solicitor that Mullen, whose address was given as Springfield Road in Belfast, had been taken to Altnagelvin Hospital's A&E department following a heavy fall.

The solicitor said Mullen, an alcoholic, came round when he was being treated by the doctor and in his confusion he pushed the doctor away.

The court heard that Mullen was also verbally abusive to the doctor, and that he was due to be sentenced on Friday for two other assaults. Mullen was remanded to appear before the same court on Friday for sentencing in the two other assault cases.